


Charmed Immortal

by dairesfanficrefuge_archivist



Category: Charmed (TV), Highlander - All Media Types, Poltergeist: The Legacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-02-15
Updated: 2002-02-15
Packaged: 2018-12-18 06:11:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11868321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist/pseuds/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist
Summary: Crossover of Highlander/Charmed. So far mentions Kindred the Embraced and Poltergeist the Legacy but more will come





	Charmed Immortal

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Daire's Fanfic Refuge](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Daire%27s_Fanfic_Refuge). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Daire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/dairesfanficrefuge/profile).

Charmed Immortal by KarenK

_Charmed Immortal_

By KarenK 

A _Highlander/Charmed/Poltergeist The Legacy_ fanfic 

**Rating:** PG-13   
**Status:** new, unfinished   
**Disclaimer:** This story is an original work of amateur fiction, and is written purely for the private entertainment of P:TL fans. This story is no way affiliated with Trilogy, MGM Worldwide Television or The Sci-Fi Channel. The characters are their property, and this story is not meant to infringe upon the copyrights of MGM, Trilogy, or any other organization that owns an interest in "Poltergeist: The Legacy" tm.   
**Episode spoilers:** Some eps from the four years mentioned.   
**Summary:** Crossover of Highlander/Charmed. So far mentions Kindred the Embraced and Poltergeist the Legacy but more will come. 

* * *

**PART 1**

Paige sighed and looked around at the other people meandering through the antiques and wondered silently for the thousandth time why she'd agreed to join her sisters Piper and Phoebe in agreeing to help Prue, their oldest sister, at the auction. She'd heard that some occult items might be up for sale so she arranged it with Derek Rayne of the San Francisco Legacy House to go and check things out. If there was anything of interest she'd let him know. He'd agreed only because he'd gotten her to agree to let Karen Roarke, his partner, join them. Roarke apparently was somewhat of an expert at sniffing out the things they should worry about. She didn't mind having someone who could tell her what to avoid. 

"So how's it going Paige?" asked Phoebe teasingly. 

"It isn't going," she groused. "Of course, it's always good to have an antique to tell us what's real," teased Paige and nodded her head towards Cole Turner, Phoebe's boyfriend, who'd just entered the room. 

Out of the four Halliwell sisters, Prudence 'Prue', was dating a mortal cop who knew about them. Piper, the second child, was married to Leo Wyatt, their White Lighter, a sort of a guardian angel and who'd died in the Second World War. Phoebe, the third sister, was currently dating Cole Turner, whose mother had been a demon and whose father had been a mortal she'd met during the nineteenth century. Paige had been dating a great guy named Shane until the Source had taken him over. He didn't know what to make of it but he did know he didn't want anything to do with Paige anymore. 

Someone bumped into her and she heard a masculine voice apologize. As Paige turned she met the eyes of the most handsome man she'd ever seen. He had short brown hair and warm brown eyes along with a smile that could lay any woman low for a week. 

"My apologies," he said with a slight accent. 

"No apology necessary," squeaked Paige, and then cringed at how eager she sounded. 

"My name is Duncan MacLeod," he introduced himself. 

"Um, Paige Matthews, and this is my sister Phoebe, and her boyfriend Cole Turner," Paige introduced them. "Are you here for the antiques?" she asked and cringed at how stupid the question was. Of course he was here for the antiques but he just smiled at her warmly. 

"Yes, I own a shop in Seacouver, Washington. Are you here to buy antiques for your store?" he asked. 

"My sister Prue was working for an auction house and now she...." 

"Now she is a freelancer for the Luna Foundation," said Phoebe. 

"The Luna Foundation? I have a friend who works there," he replied. 

"I wouldn't exactly call us friends, MacLeod," said Roarke. 

His face broke into a wide grin. "Pixie!" he said with glee. 

"Pixie?" mouthed Paige to Phoebe. MacLeod picked her up and kissing her cheek, gave her a bear hug before setting her back on her feet. 

She swatted him. "Don't call me that," she groused. 

"I take it you two know each other," said Phoebe. 

"Ever since I was a teenager I've had to put up with this," responded Karen playfully. 

"Look who's talking, brat," said MacLeod. 

"Old home week or can anyone join?" said a masculine voice with a British accent. 

"Met....Adam it's good to see you again," said Roarke but Paige got the feeling that there was more to their relationship than was apparent. 

Adam leaned in and kissed Karen on the cheek. "Adam Pierson, at your service," he introduced himself and Phoebe introduced her sister and Cole. 

"Where are Prue and Piper? I was told I was meeting all of you today," she asked. 

"Prue split us up to make a better scan of the room," said Phoebe. 

"Piper's probably somewhere with Leo making out." Paige and Phoebe giggled. 

"I gather the loving couple has made up from their last fight?" said Karen with humor in her eyes. 

"I feel like I'm living at the Playboy mansion," said Phoebe. 

"I should visit more often," quipped Cole, then gasped as he rubbed his stomach where Phoebe had elbowed him. 

"Prue's the oldest and Piper is newly wed to Leo Wyatt," she explained. 

"I bet you have interesting tales to tell about Roarke," said Cole. They exchanged glances, Cole had been found out by Roarke as part demon almost immediately but she'd said nothing. They did however like baiting each other regularly. 

"Well...." MacLeod looked at Roarke and she tossed him a 'try it' look. "Actually, no I don't," he replied. 

"I bet Adam does though," said Phoebe. 

"Yes, but they're private," he said in a tone of voice that had a depth of meaning to it. 

"Why don't we go for lunch after the auction?" Phoebe suggested. 

"We...." Karen began. 

"We can do that," said Adam. They found Prue and Piper and introduced everyone before settling in for the auction. The auction seemed to go quickly once started, but Paige did notice strange looks passed between Adam and Karen. She wondered what they were about, but knew that Roarke, from everything she'd heard, told you what she felt you needed to know. 

After the auction they teased and joked with each other as they headed to a nearby restaurant for something to eat. The group was noisy but friendly, which helped Paige relax. She did however notice that whenever Adam passed something to Karen his hand seemed to linger on hers. _Are they lovers?_ she wondered. Perhaps former lovers that still cared for each other but something kept them apart. 

Paige excused herself to follow Adam Pierson when he left the table. She watched him as he leaned up against the wall taking deep breaths as if to calm himself. 

"Are you all right?" she asked quietly. 

"I'm fine," he said straightening up as his eyes suddenly shuttered over the pain she saw in them. 

"I gather you've got it bad?" she asked gently. 

"I did, but she chose another over me." 

"Then she's a fool." 

"No just someone who...." He took a deep breath. "Never mind it's pointless to keep going over something that's over and done with." 

"Right you are, so why don't you give me your money and I'll leave you your life," said a man. 

Paige gasped and Adam pushed her behind him. "I don't want any trouble," he said 

"That's good, because neither do I," said the man. He stepped towards Adam and Paige with a knife as he motioned for Adam to hand over his wallet. Adam didn't move and the man snarled before lunging at him with the knife. Paige stood frozen as she watched the two men fight over the knife. The man stabbed Adam in the stomach and he slumped against the wall. Paige screamed and the man ran off. 

She rushed to Adam's side and pulled his shirt up to check on his wound. She saw his wound was bad but as she was about to lower his shirt and get help she saw what looked like blue electricity run along the wound. 

In a few brief moments the wound was healed and except for the blood you would never had reason to believe he'd ever been wounded. Paige stared in shock and started to back away, Adam grabbed her wrist holding her in place. "It's all right I'm not a danger to you," he said gently. 

"Yeah, right! What are you, a demon?!" she asked beginning to panic as she struggled to loosen his hold. 

"No, I'm Immortal." Paige's eyes widened and she struggled harder. "I don't want to hurt you but I also don't want you spreading this." 

"Is Adam Pierson your real name?" she asked as she stopped struggling. 

"It is for this life." 

"Was this what kept you and Karen Roarke apart?" 

"Yes and no, she couldn't handle the possibility that she could be used against me." He released her and stood up and Paige backed away from him wary of what would happen. "I won't hurt you, but if you tell others about me you will hurt me. I've had my share of being a lab rat and have no intentions of repeating the experience." 

"I won't tell anyone," she said and swallowed hard. 

"I believe you." 

"Do....I mean...." she stuttered and stopped speaking at a loss for words. 

"Mac and Caddy? Do they know? Yes, they do know and have known for years. They have kept my secret because we were good friends. You, I just met but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." 

"Gee thanks," she replied sarcastically and Methos smiled. "So how old are you really?" she asked excited by the possibility of living forever. 

"A couple of centuries," he told her because he didn't think she could handle five thousand years give or take a decade. 

"Can you make others Immortal?" 

"No, my immortality is mine and mine alone." Paige wondered at the sadness in his voice. "I loved a woman named Alexa once and I would have done anything to make her immortal, but I couldn't and she died." 

Paige felt her excitement at his immortality fade at the ache in his voice. "Why don't we get back to the others?" he suggested. 

"Will you be around San Francisco for a while? I mean I don't want....I...." she trailed off unsure of how to continue. 

"You want to hear about my immortality?" he offered and she nodded her head in agreement. "I'll be around for about a week and we can talk, but not now," he told her as he tucked his shirt especially the telltale bloodstain into his pants. He motioned for her to go first, and with a look at him she entered the restaurant with him following her. 

They sat and continued their lunch, but Paige had a difficult time not asking about immortality. After lunch, Roarke and MacLeod said their goodbyes to the Halliwell sisters and Cole. Before Adam left, Paige made a date to meet him the next day. 

When they got back to MacLeod and Adam's hotel, Karen entered their room and turning, looked Adam in the eye. "All right Methos, what's up?" Hearing her say his real name shook him for a moment. He'd hoped to tell Mac without her but again she'd seen through him to his soul and realized something was up. He explained, Mac swore, and Karen looked worried. 

"Her sister's can keep quiet, but I don't know about her," she said. 

"The problem is her sisters don't know she does, or do they?" MacLeod asked. 

"Look, Mac, if the Halliwells decided to expose us it wouldn't be as easy to deal with them as we have the others." 

"The Halliwell sisters have certain gifts of their own that can be quite....formidable," Karen said. MacLeod had the feeling she wanted to say more but couldn't. "Look, don't worry about Paige. I'll take care of her and her sisters." 

"Don't hurt her," warned Methos. Karen looked at him questioningly and a brief flash of pain crossed her eyes before she covered it. 

"I have to be going." She grabbed her jacket and headed towards the door. 

"Roarke, I'm sorry, she's just so...." he began. 

"I know, she's....so innocent." She answered without turning to face him. He wished she would because her eyes had always spoken to him. She left, closing the door quietly behind her. 

"Great, now she's mad at me," Methos said, frustrated at the day's events. 

"Don't worry about her, she's not one to hold a grudge," said MacLeod. 

"You don't know her very well do you?" 

* * *

Methos arrived at the Halliwell house the next morning and Paige invited him in, showing him to the living room. "Adam, I'm sorry about yesterday. I've had a whole night to think about it and what it is you've had to live with. I could ask you all my questions, but I realize that would make me as bad as those who used you for a lab rat." 

Adam smiled and took her hand in his. "As Roarke says, asking questions don't hurt, ignorance does." 

"Well, just to put us on equal footing...." Paige closed her eyes and disappeared in a shimmer of white lights and reappeared behind him. She tapped his shoulder and he turned around with a stunned look on his face. Paige sat back on the couch and took a deep breath. "Prue, Piper and Phoebe's parents are a mortal named Victor and a witch named Patty." 

"Nobody's perfect," he quipped. 

"Adam, I mean she's descended from a long line of witches. She was a real witch that did potions and cast spells. Each witch gets a White Lighter, kinda like a witch's guardian angel. Sam was Patty's White Lighter and they fell in love, which is how I got here. Patty was my mother and my father was Sam; when I was born they gave me to a nun for adoption. The only ones who even knew I existed were my parents and Patty's mother. 

"It was only recently that I found out my origins and met my sisters who didn't even know I existed. My parents died shortly after I was born and Grams never told them about me. She died four years ago before she could tell them about either me, or their heritage as witches. They returned here and Phoebe found the family Book of Shadows. She was goofing around and said the first spell she came across and it unbound their powers, letting them know what they were." 

"Your history is as confusing as mine." He grinned and she laughed. "So I guess being half witch and half White Lighter beats being an Immortal hands down. Being immortal is just as bad, we're all foundlings, never knowing who our parents are or how we came into the world." 

"Wait, we?" Paige asked. 

"Yes, there are more Immortals than me, but I leave it up to them to expose their own immortality." Paige nodded her agreement. "There are good and bad Immortals and we're involved in what we call The Game, which leads to what we call the Gathering. The Game is the good Immortals against the bad Immortals. The good Immortals greet and go about their business or become friends. 

"The bad Immortals have been known to challenge each other, the good guys; they've even been known to go after mortals for fun, which causes the good guys, especially a certain boy scout I know...." Adam smiled ruefully, "to protect the mortals and intervene, or if challenged, to accept the challenge in a battle to the death." 

"To the death?!" Paige asked her voice quivering slightly. 

"There is only one way to kill us but you won't mind if I refrain from telling you how." Paige grinned. "It's a one on one fight between the challenger and the one he challenged. The battle is fought with swords mostly, but some carry daggers with their swords. One I knew carried a war ax. Some bad Immortals have been know to shoot dead their opponents and then kill them." 

"Wait. If you're immortal and can't be killed except in one way how can they kill an immortal and then really kill him?" she asked, confused. 

Adam smiled at her confusion. "We die, we just don't stay dead. Kinda like the killer who wouldn't die. You can liken us to the Timex watch or that rabbit that never stops in that battery commercial," he teased her. 

"You mean you die and then resurrect. What's that like?" she asked eagerly, forgetting her promise not ask about his immortality. 

"Not good, it's like nothing, emptiness. A vast empty place where one moment we're fading and the next we're reviving. It's painful to revive so I avoid it as much as possible. A friend jumped off a cliff to avoid the two men chasing him, and Roarke was there when he came back. She said it was like he was a puppet as his limbs jerked and reset themselves before healing. 

"Then he took in a deep breath and revived, but she said she'd never forget the sound of the cracking and snapping as the bones settled themselves into place." 

Paige shivered at the thought. "I gather Roarke isn't immortal or she'd have been able to handle your immortality," she said. 

"I won't confirm whether she is or isn't, but a friend had a girlfriend who was used as bait to lure him to his death. Instead, she died and a young man he cared for like a son was killed and baptized into his immortality much too early for my tastes." 

Paige blushed as she realized she really didn't understand what it meant to love someone as old as Adam was. "How do you know when another of your kind is around?" she asked hoping to distract him from the mistake she'd just made. 

"The buzz, it gets stronger with the age of the Immortal. It's the best name we have for it, but it's like radar alerting us to other Immortals nearby. It also lets us know who among the mortal world is destined to be like us, an Immortal. There are Immortals, Pre-Immortals and mortals in our world. Mortals live, love and die whereas Immortals live, love, grieve and hopefully live to love again. 

"Pre-Immortals are those who still live like mortals, unaware of what they are to be. They break an arm, it takes the normal time that it would take for a mortal to heal; but after their first death all bets are off and they are full-fledged Immortals. We try to make sure they get a chance to live their lives before being forced into a life of living forever, grieving over lost loved ones and facing challenges that may kill them. Hopefully, they find a good Immortal to teach them the rules of The Game. 

"If they don't they don't learn the rules or how to defend themselves, they are easy prey for those who enjoy preying on the young. The boy who was killed too soon was taken in when my friend became aware that he was a Pre-Immortal headed for trouble. It helped him get used to the world we live in without realizing that he was destined to be immortal. Luckily, he had an honorable man to teach him how to fight since they don't teach sword fighting these days." Adam smirked. 

"Do any mortals know....I mean do...." she trailed off. 

"Those we love and plan on spending....their lives together do. If they can't handle it, then we leave. If they can, we spend what time we've been given together. When they die we grieve and swear never to love another mortal and then one comes along...." he trailed off with a wistful look as if he was seeing somewhere, someone else then here and Paige. 

She grasped his hand and rubbed it soothingly and he smiled at her. "There are also mortals who know about us because they were observant and for centuries have passed down what they learned about us from generation to generation. These days, whenever an Immortal is noticed by these mortals they assign one of theirs to watch but never interfere," Adam said. 

"Don't you hate that?" asked Paige. 

"We weren't supposed to know about that, but one of theirs went renegade. He considered us a blight, an insult to man and god and we should be exterminated," Adam said bitterly. "He exposed the group to my friend. My friend's Watcher became friends with him and they've worked together ever since. It didn't make his bosses too happy since they felt he was too emotionally involved to be objective. Of course he, with my friend's help, proved he could do his job and be a friend to an Immortal. 

"It isn't easy and my friend let some close Immortal friends in on the group's existence because he knew he could trust us not to tell everyone. They, in a way, despite being mortal are living a life similar to ours. It's not easy constantly moving unable to tell people who or what you are whether it be Immortal or a mortal who watches them," explained Adam. 

Paige wasn't sure how it felt to move every few decades leaving behind friends and loved ones grieving for what they thought was your death to start all over again somewhere new. It was bad enough hiding she was a witch and part White Lighter, let alone having to fake your death and get a new name. The sound of the door opening brought their attention to the hallway. She hurriedly wiped away the tears strolling down her face as the voices came closer alerting her to her sister's return. 

Prue entered the living room arm in arm with her current boyfriend, Inspector Andrew Trudeau, who her three older sisters had grown up with. Behind them came Piper and her husband Leo Wyatt, who was also a White Lighter who had died while being a medic in the Second World War. Leo wasn't supposed to let them know who he was but he had fallen in love with Piper. 

Leo's bosses were really angry about their involvement to the point that when he and Piper had tried to quietly marry without them knowing, they'd abducted the groom from the altar. He had finally gotten them to agree to return him as the sisters' White Lighter and give him and Piper a chance to prove they belonged together. They had just recently gotten the okay for them to be married and had their grandmother perform the ceremony while their father and deceased mother were the only guests. 

Prue and Phoebe had been the maids of honor and best man and had to hurry before midnight when their grandmother and mother would have to return to the other side. Fortunately, Victor wasn't too upset when he found out Leo was a White Lighter. He had been trying to reconcile with Patty when she'd fallen in love with Sam. He hadn't liked losing the woman he loved and mother of his three daughters to a White Lighter. He'd had enough trouble with the magical aspect and Grams' insistence that he as a mortal would be useless and only get in the way. 

Behind Leo and Piper was Phoebe with her boyfriend Cole Turner, also known as Belthazor who was half demon and half human sent by the Source of all evil to destroy the Charmed Ones. The Charmed Ones being the sisters and their powers being too strong for mere demons to handle. 

Cole unfortunately hadn't counted on his human half falling in love with Phoebe. He had turned from bad to good and helped the girls in fighting demons until he was exposed. The Source had declared a bounty on his head and he alternated between being with Phoebe and running from bounty hunters intent on killing him. 

Inspector Daryl Morris came in last. He was Andy's partner and had as hard a time as Andy in accepting the sisters' secret lives as witches and defenders of innocents. 

"Hi guys," Paige said sheepishly feeling as if she'd been caught doing something wrong. She introduced Adam to her sisters' respective boyfriends and Daryl. Before anything further could be said or done a black fog appeared in the living room and coalesced into a man. He had black hair and what seemed to be even blacker eyes as he grinned evilly at the sisters. 

"Hello ladies, time to die," he purred at them. 

"I don't think it's polite to burst into a lady's home uninvited and threaten a woman's life," said Adam. 

"Um, Adam, why don't you let us handle this?" Piper suggested. 

"Naw. I like dealing with him." the demon said and shot a bolt of lightning at Adam sending him flying backwards and crashing into a wall. Paige heard a loud crack and saw Adam slide to the floor lying still with his eyes staring upward. She hissed, there was no doubt that Adam was dead. The demon grabbed Paige and held her with a knife to her throat. 

"Paige!" exclaimed Phoebe. 

"Pretty witch, shame she has to die," he cooed. 

"Not tonight," snarled Adam as he grabbed the demon's hand pushing Paige to safety before jamming the knife into the demon's chest. The demon hissed and exploded into a cloud of black dust leaving a shaking Paige in Adam's arms. 

Piper gaped at him as Prue became wary and Phoebe walked up to Paige and Adam. "You were dead?!" she said, stunned at seeing a dead person not dead but standing in front of her healthy and apparently unharmed. 

"He's a demon!" hissed Prue. 

"No!" shrieked Paige and stepped between Adam and the others. 

"Paige, step aside," ordered Prue. 

"No! You don't understand; he isn't a demon, he's immortal!" she blurted out in a panic. Adam squeezed Paige's shoulder letting her know it was all right to tell them everything. Paige told them what Adam had told her. 

"She's right, other then never dying unless killed in a certain way we are the same as any mortal. We can be knocked out, affected by drugs and die, although we won't remain dead," he explained. 

"You heal fast and revive from being killed and you call that normal?" asked a stunned Daryl. 

"As normal as anyone can be." Adam grinned at him with mischief. 

"Now I've seen everything." Daryl slumped onto the couch. 

"Unlikely Inspector, but then who knows what life holds for us. I never intended on doing more than being born, live, raise a family, and die. I didn't know I was going to die and then wake up having to dig my way out of my own grave." 

Daryl winced at that and Piper shivered so Leo wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm to comfort her. 

"You dug....!" Phoebe sputtered, unsure how to continue. 

"Yes, and I've met some interesting people along the way including those who claimed to be witches, but never met one that proved to be real." He smiled warmly at the sisters. 

"How many Immortals are there? Is MacLeod one?" Phoebe was so excited that she tried to say the next question before she finished saying the first one. 

Adam smiled indulgently. "As I told Paige, MacLeod's immortality or lack there of is his to let you know." 

"I don't blame you, not only having to deal with evil Immortals but the unprincipled mortals who see you as a meal ticket and then the renegades from the group of mortals creating death squads to destroy your kind not caring whether you were good or evil is enough to drive a person to insanity. I'll never again bitch about being a Charmed Oone again," said Piper. 

Adam laughed. "Being a Charmed One isn't anything to sneeze at either. I guess the universe has something in mind for us and wants to make sure we're ready for it. It's enough that being reborn without someone there to tell you what you are and helping you cope as well as teaching you how to survive can be a stress on the psyche." 

"Are you a doctor?" asked Prue. 

"Yep. Heidelberg, 1856," Adam said and chuckled at the look on Phoebe's face. "If you ever come to Seacouver, come to a place called Joe's and ask for the bartender Joe. He'd be more then happy to let us know you're looking for me or Mac." 

"Mac?" asked Daryl. 

"Duncan MacLeod, the friend that came with him to the antiques show," Prue explained. The doorbell rang and Phoebe hurried to get it. She returned a few minutes later with Duncan MacLeod and another man. The man with him had a salt and pepper hair and beard and walked with the aid of a cane. Despite the cane, he moved with a natural grace and almost seemed as if the cane was merely for show despite the stiff legged stride. 

"Joe, good to see you." Adam greeted the man and then wrapped an arm around the man's shoulders. "Got a problem Joe, I died in front of witnesses," Adam said as if he was discussing last night's game. Joe flinched and MacLeod tensed. 

"If you mean the other night Mac told me," Joe said. 

"Nope, I mean the broken neck I just died from in front of Paige's sisters about fifteen minutes ago," he replied cheerfully. 

Joe raised an eyebrow and a ghost of a grin crossed him face while MacLeod just glared at him. "Must you?" he said in a surly tone. 

"It's okay Duncan, because the ladies have shared their secret with me. It puts us on even ground where secrets and exposure are concerned." 

"Secret?" asked a puzzled Joe. 

"He has kept Adam's secret so I suppose he can keep ours." said Paige. Prue, Piper and Phoebe nodded and Adam explained the sisters' secret. 

"Witches?!" said a shocked Joe as MacLeod scoffed disdainfully. 

"There is no such thing as witches," MacLeod told Adam who looked at Paige and winked. 

"Oh yeah?" Paige said and orbed from her place next to Adam to just in front of Duncan, who looked stunned to say the least. 

"Paige! You managed to find a way to orb from place to place instead of just orbing back into the same place," said Phoebe, whose face bore a look of a proud mother. 

"Yep, I've been working on my orbing among other aspects of my powers." 

"Immortals and now witches." Joe shook his head and sat down on the couch. 

"Welcome to the stunned mortals club," Daryl said. "You are mortal aren't you?" he asked with a worried look. 

Joe chuckled. "Yeah, I'm mortal and I'm glad, especially at a time like this." He laughed. 

"You're a Watcher aren't you?" Paige exclaimed and Joe threw Adam a dark look. 

"I had to tell her everything like she told me Joe," he answered as his face flushed with embarrassment. 

"Everything?!" asked MacLeod. 

"I left names out Mac, and or so I thought enough information to make it impossible for her to figure out who I was talking about," Adam answered. 

"I'd hate to see what would happen if you wanted her to figure it out," said Mac sarcastically. 

"Look MacLeod, I didn't piss on you for what you did during the dark quickening, and don't get me started on the Cassandra thing, old friend." He practically snarled the last two words as if there was a doubt to whether they were friends or not. 

MacLeod looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry Adam, you're right. You endangered your life to save my soul and I didn't really thank you for that. Let me say thank you now and if you can forgive me can we be friends?" 

"I'm sorry too Mac, I swore I wouldn't make you feel guilty As it is you feel guilty about enough that isn't your fault." 

"Is old home week finished?" asked Joe. 

"Don't Joe, just don't," said Adam as he warned the Watcher angrily but with affectation. 

"I know Jacob and I'm sorry myself but what's gone is gone." 

"I know Joe, but despite everything it hurts when someone you care for hurts you even if they didn't mean to do it. Let's just accept that we're human and bound to screw up and leave an open apology for future stupidity," suggested Adam. 

"Witches, Immortals, et cetera, and you think your life is weird? It at least explains some disappearing bodies. Until now I was blaming demons, but it's better to think some might be Immortals reviving and escaping before anyone stumbles onto them," said Daryl. 

"Perhaps, but then I didn't know demons existed until Ahriman," said Joe. 

"Ahriman?" asked Paige. 

"Demon thousands of years old intent on destroying or controlling the world, take your pick. Imprisoned but with a chance at parole every thousand years. He gets out and has only the champion between him and succeeding. This go around it was Mac's turn to play hero," explained Adam. MacLeod gave him a look that told him he'd regret the play hero bit later when they were alone and MacLeod could think of a really good way to torture him. He grinned despite it because he couldn't help himself. 

"Wait, you're not only Immortal but you fight demons?" asked Prue. 

"One demon and I almost didn't make except with the help of my friends and Adam." MacLeod threw him a glance that said I found a way to make your life miserable. 

"I don't know, maybe you could consider guys like Kronos demons," said Adam. 

MacLeod looked at Adam and his gaze softened; Adam bristled at the sympathy in his gaze. He didn't need MacLeod's sympathy when he didn't have any for himself. Madness or not, he'd been a Horseman and it was he who chose to be one. It was something he had to learn to live with, a burden he had to carry. He didn't like MacLeod showing him sympathy or trying to help Methos carry the burden out of guilt for siding with Cassandra against him. 

He hadn't given mercy to his victims so why should he give himself any mercy. Karen had called it his hair shirt, she had told him that he enjoyed torturing himself as much as MacLeod did. Mac did it with his failures and he did it with remembered evils. Times were different and if it had been anyone else they'd have probably of done the same things he had. The thing that stuck in his craw was the 'probably'. Probably yes, but then again probably not and with his luck more likely it was not. 

"Kronos?" asked Phoebe. 

"He was...." Joe trailed off with a glance at Methos and again Adam found sympathy he didn't feel he deserved. 

"A man I hung with once," he said bitterly and Phoebe raised an eyebrow. 

"If he was a man he wasn't a demon," said Prue. 

"Definitions of demons can be subjective," he snarled at her. The room got quiet as everyone stared at him in shock. "I'm sorry....I shouldn't let my past come into the situation, but sometimes the past is hard to quiet," he said quietly. 

"I understand," said Leo putting a comforting hand on Adam's shoulder that he brushed off angrily. 

"Look, I got enough people looking at me like I'm the slow brother and they need to take care of me, I don't need you too," he responded angrily. 

"Adam, Kronos was...." Mac began. 

"What? Not my fault, MacLeod?! Are you stupid? I made a choice to hang with him and because of that I have to live with my memories." He turned, unable to look MacLeod in the eye. 

"Not memories, your conscience. If you were as evil as you think you are you wouldn't feel so bad about what you'd done," Joe responded. 

"Really Joe, is that why Mac was so mad that I didn't tell him?" asked Adam. 

"I was angry that Cassandra had to tell me...." he began. 

"No, you were angry because I didn't tell you all my dirty laundry. You didn't tell me what you did that made Keane come after you and I didn't ask, I just stood by you through a dark quickening, guys trying to slice and dice you! That's what friends do MacLeod! They don't expect people to bring up and expect to be forgiven by you for something they did so long ago that it's been forgotten by almost everyone. They don't expect you to forgive them for something they can't forgive themselves for!" he snarled. 

"It's forgotten, Adam," said MacLeod as he and Joe exchanged concerned glances. 

"Oh really, MacLeod?" he asked, smirking and then moved liked lightning as he struck. He slammed MacLeod into the wall and grabbed his throat in both his hands before bringing his face close to MacLeod's. "You can forget 'I killed, but I didn't just kill fifty, I didn't kill a hundred...I killed a thousand. I killed _ten_ thousand! And I was good at it. And it wasn't for vengeance. It wasn't for greed. It was because....I liked it. Cassandra was nothing. Her village was nothing. Do you know who I was? I was Death. Death. Death on horse. When mothers warned their children that the monster would get them, that monster was me. I was the nightmare that kept them awake at night. Is that what you want to hear? The answer is yes. Ooh, yes'." He grinned wickedly at MacLeod. 

"Adam?" said Paige with a quaking voice and he turned to look at her. 

The fear in her eyes struck straight to his heart and his stomach did a somersault before clenching tightly at being the cause of it. He stepped away from Mac, releasing him and looked around as he breathed hard trying to regain control of himself. He turned but saw his reflection in a mirror and the rage inside suddenly needed to be released. He couldn't bring himself to harm others so he harmed himself at least symbolically by smashing his fist into his reflection shattering the mirror. 

"Adam?!" Paige screamed in terror and rushed to his side taking his sliced hand into hers. 

"It's nothing, just a nick," he said in an emotionless voice. 

"Your hand is sliced up and you may have severed muscles or tendons," she said with concern. 

"Does it really matter my sweet one?" 

"Yes....yes, it does," she told him looking up and as their eyes met her mouth went dry at what she saw in his eyes. 

"Then don't worry, my little dove, because it's already healed." He wiped his hand on the tail of his shirt and showed her his hand. Paige heaved a sigh of relief. "My apologies, but sometimes the centuries get together and come out of the shadows to gang up on a fella." He laughed bitterly. 

"I gather somebody has issues," said Piper. 

Adam laughed. "My issues have issues." He turned to see Mac watching as if trying to gauge his mood. 

"I'm sorry," MacLeod said and held out his hand to Methos. 

Adam stopped and swallowed hard as he felt something lift part of the weight from his shoulders. "I'm the one who should apologize, Mac...." he began. 

"Just accept the man's apology or we'll be here forever and I ain't got that long damnit!" growled Joe. He heard someone snicker and then he took Mac's hand and shook before drawing him into a hug before releasing him. 

"I'll pay for the mirror," he told the sisters. 

"It's all right, never mind," said Prue. 

"Do you help Roarke with her...." Piper nudged Phoebe, quieting her. 

"Roarke and I help each other when necessary," Mac replied. 

"Look, I'm a witch, you're an Immortal, so I'm assuming that you know what Roarke does. I mean I can't think of how she's managed to hide it for so long with all the people...." she stopped as Prue put a hand over Paige's mouth. 

"My sister speaks too much sometimes." 

"What is it exactly that you think Roarke does?" asked Joe. 

"Her work with the Legacy?" Paige answered before Prue could stop her. 

"She works for the Luna Foundation, not this Legacy," said a puzzled MacLeod. 

"Way to go, baby sister," said Piper. 

"Would someone please tell me what the hell this Legacy is?" complained Joe. 

Paige blushed scarlet at her realization that Joe hadn't known and she'd just let the cat out of the bag. "I'm sorry, it's hard getting used to this secret identity stuff," she said. 

"Secret identity, now I have to know" said Joe. 

"I think that's up to Roarke to explain and I'm personally looking through the Book of Shadows for a gag spell just for you Paige," said Piper. 

"Wait a damn minute...." Joe began. 

"Joe, she's right it is my duty to tell you," said Roarke and as they turned she stepped out of the shadows and into the room. 

"How long have you been there?" asked MacLeod with an angry tone. 

"Long enough." 

"It's all right Paige, it takes time to get used to the shadows and the lying but the one thing you have to remember is that the truth can sometimes get people killed," she admonished the young witch. 

"The Luna Foundation is a front for the Legacy. The Foundation does exactly what it says but it also acts as a cover for those who are Legacy members. According to the people that recruited me, 'From the dawn of time mankind has existed between the world of light and the world of darkness. Our secret society has been here forever protecting others from the creatures who inhabit the shadows and the night, they have fought evil in all it's supernatural forms holding back the unholy powers that threaten to consume the world and destroy humanity. A secret society, they operate in every corner of the globe, forever vigilant in their cause. They are warriors....philosophers....scientists and the world's last hope against the darkness. Known only to the initiated by our true name. They are the LEGACY'," she quoted. 

"Another damn secret society!" Adam complained and turned away from her. 

"We don't hunt and kill Immortals, or at least not your version." 

"What version do you kill?" asked MacLeod and she felt her heart sink. 

She took a deep breath to steady herself. "Well, my first year we dealt with a couple of ghosts out for revenge; the scroll of Cain, which was his confession to the killing of his brother Abel and had been cursed so that the owner would know madness and death. Unfortunately, at the time the owner was Derek. Demon from hell. A young woman who had a cursed Egyptian ring that sucked the life out of others. A demon worshipping doctor, and of course the possession of a man by a satanic cult leader's spirit and a witches coven stealing the souls of young girls at a boarding school," she ticked off on her fingers. 

"Second year, a serial killer returned after his execution because he refused to go to hell and wanted the priest from his execution to absolve him even though he refused to admit the murders he committed were sins, which made it impossible for him to be absolved. A succubus and a witch doctor who were murdering young girls and trapping their souls in his cauldron to use in healings for the gifts his patients gave him. A werewolf, haunted lighthouse and a stalker obsessed with Rachel. Dealing with a demon at a mental hospital and the escape of a fallen angel from the Sepulcher, who possessed Derek by the way. Just loved the case where the gates to the underworld had to be closed. Derek nearly drowned on that one. Of course, he went to investigate suicides in a town earlier in the year and got himself shot and flat lined until the doctor's shocked him back. 

"Third year, vampires ,one of which bit Alex. Fortunately, he was destroyed before she completed her transformation. Then a cult of church burning priest killers that was led by a demon. A banshee. A father returned from the dead, begging a son to catch his murderer so his soul could ascend to heaven and then the angel who tried to help her demon boyfriend who zapped Derek, killing him. She defeated the boyfriend and revived Derek. A Brujah wanting to avenge her granddaughter's death, past lives, more ghosts. In my fourth year there was a possessed painting, serial killers, a traitor in our ranks who allied with a dead guy who sucked the life out of his followers, literally. A genie, witchcraft, a demonic virus and more vengeful ghosts. Of course those are only the highlights and not every single case, mind you." She grinned mischievously at them. 

"Wow and I thought being a Charmed One was a bitch," Piper said. 

"I agree, I'm tired just listening to her recite the cases," said Phoebe. 

"Demons, vampires, werewolves, succubae and other things I don't even want to consider," said Paige. 

"It wasn't easy because the vampire was an old friend of Alex's. The werewolf was a frightened young girl not aware of her dual nature who'd been going to Rachel for nightmares that were memories of what she did in her werewolf state. Derek's been killed a couple of times and had the Cain scroll, not to mention a few friends in need. Nick was the one whose father was murdered when he was fifteen and returned asking him for help. There was of course that girl who was murdered by her boyfriend but the police thought it was an accident. Nick got somewhat obsessed especially when we found out he killed himself to continue his control over her," Karen explained. 

"Talk about a fatal attraction!" Adam slumped into a chair stunned by what he was hearing. 

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Mac asked angrily. 

"Same reason I didn't tell Paige about your immortality, or Derek for that matter." She glared at him. 

"Mac, she takes her oath seriously and I have never heard of a secret society who doesn't require one," said Joe. 

"I made a promise to not expose the Legacy so it could continue it's work, so that you people could continue to live in innocence believing vampires and werewolves were old wives tale. Julian told me one day I'd have to pick sides," she said bitterly. 

"Julian?" asked Joe. 

"Julian is the prince of the city. He's a vampire who lives the masquerade of being human and if his people get out of line he takes care of them. Of course, the way he does it is usually a blood hunt which means he gives the okay to the others to hunt down and rip to shreds the offending party." 

"Ouch!" said Phoebe. 

"Yep, that's gotta hurt," said Paige. 

"It's the only way to live with humans without being exposed and hunted down. He's still alive because even though he's a vampire he doesn't force his ways on others. He had one of his people destroyed for bringing over Starkweather," she explained. 

"The serial killer whose body was found in a club without his head attached?!" asked a stunned Andy. Both Mac and Methos reached for their throats. 

"Julian has what some of the others call his pet human. A cop who was his enemy until he stumbled onto the truth. The rules of the Kindred, as they call themselves, is the human must be made to forget or become one of the Kindred. Frank hasn't forgotten or been transformed but no one messes with the cop who has the Prince's protection. 

"Julian is rather formidable and the only one who actually was willing to try was a crazy Brujah named Eddie. Of course, Lily didn't appreciate his hiring a Kindred assassin to take Julian out. She and Julian may not be involved anymore but she still cares about him and she removed Eddie's head for him." 

"Lily, as in Lily Langtree, that redhead who owns the club where they found Starkweather?" asked Daryl as he began to look sick. 

"They live their lives not bothering anyone and find their food from blood banks and such. I know of only one who forced a woman to become Kindred and Julian tended to him. Julian was married and had a son before he was brought over. The woman the Brujah forced was Julian's great-granddaughter and the last of his human family. She hadn't had any children yet so unless Julian or one of his fathered a child he doesn't know about the human family line has ended." 

"San Francisco, where we get all the weirdoes," said Andy. 

Prue slugged him. "Hey my sisters and I resemble that remark, bucko." 

"Sorry," he replied and nuzzled her cheek before placing a comforting hand on Daryl's shoulder. 

"Don't worry, I'm under Julian's protection and so are all of you as a result," she reassured them. 

"Comforting knowing the local vampire is keeping an eye on me," said MacLeod. 

"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the grave this morning," said Karen sarcastically as she glared at him. "Mac you really have to stop seeing everything in black and white or you'll never see the truth. Adam was right that life isn't black and white but grey. Someday that rigid adherence to a code of honor will cause your death and for some damn reason I would grieve instead of celebrating getting rid of as big a burr under my butt as you are." She had said it angrily but he was glad there had been affection in her voice and her eyes when she had said it. 

"Life is complicated, but someone once told me, 'Courage, dedication, honor, sacrifice - those are the words they use to get you here. But the only word that means a damn to you is life'." 

MacLeod wasn't sure how to take that. "Not telling us...." Joe began. 

"This from a man that said sometimes we have to stop watching and stand up and fight," she quoted his words back to him. "You were willing to give up what you'd given your life or at least obsessed dedication to for twenty five years because he told you to make a choice." She pointed at Mac. "Adam said we all need to forgive and be forgiven, to love and be loved. He's lived longer than any of us so maybe somewhere in that time while looking at both sides of the coin he's learned a few things he's willing to pass on." 

"You never told Rayne about Immortals or Watchers?" asked Mac. 

"I said I wouldn't, and I didn't." She gave him a look that told him she angry and hurt he'd even thought it was possible. "Derek, if you can believe, is willing without a doubt put his life on the line repeatedly for total strangers. His team isn't his team, but his family. I've had unconditional acceptance and love since joining them. As strange as it may sound, I finally feel like I've found the place I really belong." 

"That's a special thing when it can be found. Not many people get to be so lucky," said Leo. 

"A man has two jobs in life, one that he's good at and one that he enjoys. When the two are one, he is truly blessed," murmured Adam. MacLeod and Joe recognized the saying that Roarke had used on them a time or two. 

"You've always rushed to help us when we needed you and I just realized that means some poor guy was left unprotected." 

"No Joe, there is always someone out there to step into the hole left by me. We have 'houses' all over the world. People who, without immortality or magical ability, have since the second century passed down the burden from father to son, mother to daughter and the occasional flesh blood that enters the group over the century. These people used old wives tales and prayers to fight something that can rip them to shreds but they do it without fear. 

"It's like the priesthood, it's a calling that a person must feel completely dedicated to. Some thought they did but they hadn't and turned to the dark side. We've had our share of traitors who decide evil has more interest then good. We're grey angels that stand between the dark and the light to defend humanity because we have to." 

"It's dangerous work for you...." Joe began concerned at the danger she had to be in. 

"These people care, and because of that they can't walk away anymore than the sisters could walk away from using their magic to fight, or Mac from defending a woman whose husband tried to blackmail him into murdering. Adam saved Cassandra repeatedly, despite the fact that if he just let her die his problems would be over." 

Joe hugged her. "I'm proud of you, but knowing the danger it puts you in I wish I hadn't helped raise you to be so caring. Being selfish may not be nice, but at least you'd be alive," he told her. 

"Ah, but then you wouldn't want me around because I'd be such a selfish brat," Karen teased. 

"Well, you'd be selfish anyway," teased Mac and Karen threw a pillow from the couch at him, which he ducked with a grin. 

"God, did someone open the warm fuzzies cage and let them out again?" she complained, but Methos saw the humor in her eyes and it soon reached her lips as they curved into a smile. 

"I just need to know why the sisters were let in on your secret and why now?" Karen asked, puzzled. 

"Me dying?" suggested Methos. 

"No, I have a feeling something is bringing us together for a reason. I can't explain it but I can feel it," she murmured. 

"Ever since you were a child you've kinda felt and or knew things before you could possibly have. I'm glad to see that radar of yours is still working." 

"Saved my butt on more then one occasion." 

"You think we were meant to be together?" asked a worried Piper. 

"I don't....I can't explain it but I have this feeling. Whenever I've gone with my feelings I may have scraped by but I survived. Going against my feelings only put me in more danger," Roarke told Piper. 

"Maybe Leo's bosses have something in mind for us?" suggested Phoebe. 

"Naw, but someone does have plans," said a woman from over by the French doors. 

"Who are you?" Prue demanded. 

"Don't remember me, little witch? Well maybe that's good despite the incredible bruise to my ego," said Daria. 

"Daria, what do you want?" demanded Karen. 

"The Ancient One has sent me for you." 

"I take it you two know each other," said Joe. 

"You might say that," Karen said and stood to walk over to Daria. Daria's long black hair fell down her back in ebony waves and her brown eyes carried a look of concern. Karen's hackles rose knowing that Daria had to be really worried if she was letting her concern show. 

"The Ancient One also offers an invitation to the sisters and champions as well as the old ones and the Watcher," she explained. 

"Joe, you've just been given an honor. The Ancient One wants to see all of you," Karen explained but she felt less than thrilled. She had always been confused by her service to the Ancient One. She was glad to help others, yet felt restrained at having to do it her way. 

Daria created a vortex. "Shall we?" 

"It's up to you to make the choice," Karen explained. 

"I'm all for it," Paige said with glee. 

"Whoa, we don't know what's on the other side," said Phoebe. 

"No harm will come to you witch, your kind is welcome amongst us," Daria said. They looked at each other and it seemed the decision had been made as one by one they stepped through the portal to the other side not knowing what awaited them there. 

"Oh wow!" Paige exclaimed as she spun around trying to take in everything at once. 

"Welcome to Atlantis," said Daria, and then led the way to a tall imposing castle like buildings whose doors swung open on their approach. 

"This place goes on forever," said Piper in awe. 

"Good thing too, since it watches over forever," murmured Karen. Joe raised an eyebrow in question at her but said nothing. They stepped into a throne room that seemed to be from an ancient castle. 

Four people stood talking by a table, two were women that Karen recognized immediately. A tall willowy blonde with blue eyes looked up and smiled at them. She was Mara, the third in the triad of Karen and Daria. An auburn haired woman with what seemed to be endless grey eyes was the Ancient One herself. She dismissed the men and turned towards the new arrivals. 

"I am honored that you accepted my invitation," she said walking towards them as if gliding on air. The long white gown she wore rustled behind her as she moved towards them. 

"I assume you are the Ancient One?" asked Methos. 

"Do I look so old?" she asked with a teasing gleam in her eyes. 

"Not really, but you do have an air about you," he responded in an equally teasing tone. 

"For a five thousand year old man you do have sass," she countered, but there was a look in her eye that said she mentioned his true age for the benefit of the others. 

He felt a hand on his arm and he was swung around to face Paige who mouthed 'Five thousand?' at him questioningly. 

"You were having enough difficulty with the idea of Immortality and I thought you could handle a couple of centuries better than fifty, give or take a few decades." 

"Give or take?" sputtered Daryl. 

"Well, it's hard to keep track of anything less than a century because they go by so fast," he quipped. 

"Why are we here?" asked Joe, wanting to get down to business. 

"First, as a thank you because you, Joseph, along with the others have made my little one a well rounded and caring individual. You've also been there when she needed you. Also to say thank you for helping fight the evil that seems to happen more often as the years past. You're a good man Joseph Dawson, and you have a blessed place with me." She smiled at him gently. 

"I did what I felt was right and necessary, not for reward, but thank you anyway." 

"We need more men like you," Mara said. 

"Too few heroes, and too many villains," the Ancient One sighed tiredly. "Of course, it's easy to make a villain, whereas a hero comes from all the right ingredients. 

"There is one thing you've learned from your years of fighting, and that is a friend and a foe can look a lot alike. Not to mention the temptations you'd have to be a saint to resist. What person wouldn't want that loved one to return from death's frigid hold if they could?" She looked at them all knowing that each had lost someone because of their fight against evil. "It also doesn't help when all you get from the good guys is there's a plan but you can't know what it is." 

"Are you going to tell us that plan?" asked Duncan. 

"No, I can't Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. I am however, looking for heroes." 

"Well, stop looking because he's here," teased Methos and smiled at Mac. 

"Methos, that'll be enough," she warned him sternly and he felt like a young schoolboy getting his knuckles rapped by a teacher's ruler. "You hide behind the teasing for fear of a wounded heart, but sometimes you go too far with your joking. This way." The Ancient One led them into another room. 

Paige noticed Adam didn't follow and went back to him where he stood staring out a window lost in thought. "Adam?" she asked. He looked up and smiled at her gently as if to soothe her fears. 

"I'm fine, my little sorceress," he murmured quietly. 

"Want to talk about Kronos?" she asked and saw him wince at the name. "Sorry," she whispered. 

"It's all right. It was so long ago I thought others had forgotten. I guess I was wrong." He laughed bitterly. 

"If you don't want to talk about it...." Paige trailed off. 

"No, I'll talk about it, it was over three thousand years ago but it's as clear to me today as if it had happened yesterday. 

"It was a world of savages, where you were either the conqueror or the conquered. I found it more comfortable to be a conqueror than conquered; it isn't in me to be a victim. I cut a swath through quite a bit of countryside raping, robbing, and pillaging. I was people's worst nightmares; I was death on horseback. I was one of the four Horsemen of Apocalypse." 

Paige gasped and then looked concerned because she hadn't wanted to hurt Adam. "It's all right, I'm used to that reaction by now." He smiled warmly at her to reassure her. 

"What changed?" 

"I did, or at least that's what I keep telling myself. Caddy was right, she said she hadn't forgotten what I did but since I proved I was reformed I had the right to be forgiven. Forgiven? Me? Somehow I doubt Cassandra will ever agree to that." He chuckled. 

"Cassandra?" 

Adam looked at her as if he'd forgotten she was there. "One of my victims," he said coldly. 

She shivered and rubbed her arms, Adam took off his jacket and wrapped it around her knowing the whole time she wasn't cold because of the temperature. "Cassandra was a villager in one of the villages we raided. Unlike her fellow villagers unfortunately, she didn't stay dead. When she revived she found herself a slave. My slave to be exact, and I made sure she had no doubt about her place. 

"Over the years I began to change, slowly at first then faster as I began to realize there was more to life then what I was doing. I don't know why, but I grew tired of the bloodshed and pain. Caddy called it evolving and realizing I was no longer the caveman, but walking upright." Paige giggled at the image. "Caddy's a straight shooter and never one to mince words." He grinned. "Somehow I realized being a Horseman was no longer my destiny and I had to find my new destiny. 

"I found it by breaking my ties with my fellow Horsemen. I hadn't lifted a sword for two hundred years until I met MacLeod. I felt compelled to keep the young whippersnapper from being chopped up into fish food. He's so damn honorable that he sees the world as black and white, which results in more heartache than he would have if he just understood the world is gray. Sometimes you only have a choice between evil and a greater evil to choose from. I've had nothing but evil to choose from for so long I'd forgotten what good looked like." He smirked. 

"You were always good Adam, just misguided for a while." 

"You have a forgiving heart my sweet." 

"The only one you need forgiveness from is yourself." 

"Are you sure you're Paige, and not Caddy? She told me the same thing over and over again." He sighed and turned back to the window. 

She laid a hand on his shoulder. "You have imprisoned yourself worse than this Cassandra or anyone else ever could, Adam. Unlock the door and let it swing open before you suffocate under the weight of your own guilt." 

He looked up and his eyes met Karen's, Paige turned and seeing her left without a word. Karen drew him into her arms and held him close as she placed a kiss on his cheek. "Derek won't get jealous?" he asked mischievously. 

"I don't know, probably not because he's secure in who he is," she explained. 

"You really love the guy," he said, meaning it more as a statement then as a question. 

"I adore him. I can't explain it, but I know he's what I've waited for. Please don't be angry with me." 

"You, my eternal one, and I have all the time in the world. He needs you now, but he won't live forever and when he's gone we'll be together." 

She laughed and then he took her face gently in his hands and kissed her deep enough to reach her soul. "Methos, Paige is right, you do need to let it go before you suffocate. I won't be with a man who harps over something that can't be changed. You did what you did, and if you could go back in time and change it I have no doubt you would. Never forget because those who forget are doomed to repeat their mistakes, but don't let it rule your life either. Cassandra can't or won't move on, that's her problem not yours. You've moved on but not completely and until you do it will weigh on you. Ingrid was right about the Sword of Damocles, she said Derek let it hang over his head and so do you. You two have a great deal in common." 

"Yeah, apparently swords," he teased. 

"No, the inability to learn from your mistakes instead of wallowing in them." 

"Wallowing? Like a pig in muck?" He grinned at the image. 

She swatted him and he pulled back. "The Ancient One is right about you. You never take anything serious," she complained. 

"Make up your mind, do you want me to be serious or not serious? I happen to remember a tale of a young lady who enjoyed partying and never cared what others thought." He lifted a questioning eyebrow. 

"Mac's got a big mouth, and if you ever insult me by calling me a lady again you won't have to worry about Cassandra because I'll whack you myself," she threatened playfully. 

"Ooh, bloodthirsty. My mother warned me about women like you." 

"Your kind never know their mothers and I don't mean Immortals." 

He caught her hands in his and they stared at each other for a moment. A clearing throat brought their attention to the doorway. "MacLeod, you always had rotten timing," groused Methos. 

"I think you're wanted," said Karen. 

"I do believe you're right. After you m'lady." Karen gave him a look that he was sure meant 'Wait until I find a rusty knife and I'll whack you', but she headed towards MacLeod. 

* * *

© 2002   
Please send comments to the author! 

02/15/2002 

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